Research Methods Flashcards
types of experiments
laboratory experiments
field experiments
natural experiments
what is a laboratory experiment
experiments are done in a well-controlled environment
what are 2 strengths of laboratory experiments
- It is easier to copy a laboratory experiment
2. They allow for precise control of extraneous and independent variables
what are 2 weaknesses of laboratory experiments
- The setting may produce unnatural behaviour
2. Demand characteristics or experimenter effects may bias the results
what is a field experiment
done in the everyday environment of the participants
what are 2 strengths of field experiments
- more likely to reflect real life
2. Less chance of demand characteristics
what is a weaknesses of field experiments
There is less control over extraneous variables
what are natural experiments
Natural experiments are conducted in the everyday environment, but here the experimenter has no control over the IV
what are 3 strengths of natural experiments
- more likely to reflect real life
- There is less likelihood of demand characteristics
- Can be used in situations in which it would be ethically unacceptable to manipulate
what are 2 weaknesses of natural experiments
- They may be more expensive and time consuming
2. There is no control over extraneous variables that might bias the results.
Key Word: Ecological validity
The degree to which an investigation represents real-life experiences.
Key Word: Experimenter effects
the ways that the experimenter can accidentally influence the participant through their appearance or behaviour.
Key Word: Demand characteristics
The clues in an experiment that lead the participants to think they know what the researcher is looking for
Key Word: Independent variable
Variable the experimenter manipulates
Key Word: Dependent variable
Variable the experimenter measures
Key Word: Extraneous variables
All variables, which are not the independent variable, but could affect the results
Key Word: Confounding variables
could be an extraneous variable that has not been controlled
Key Word: Random Allocation
means that all participants should have an equal chance of taking part in each condition.
Key Word: Order effects
Changes in participants’ performance due to their repeating the same of similar test more than once.
practice effect and fatigue effect
Key Word: practice effect
an improvement in performance on a task due to repetition
Key Word: fatigue effect
a decrease in performance of a task due to repetition
what is a quasi-experiment
an empirical study used to estimate the causal impact of an intervention on its target population without random assignment
what are 2 strengths of quasi-experiments
- Reactions of test subjects are more likely to be genuine
2. It can be very useful in identifying general trends from the results
what are 2 weaknesses of quasi-experiment
- Pre-existing factors and other influences are not taken into account
- The research must match ethical standards in order to be valid
what is Controlled Observation
Rather than writing a detailed description of all behaviour observed, it is easier to code behaviour according to a premade scale
where would you normally carry out a Controlled Observation
lab
what type of observation would Controlled Observation be
structured
three strengths of Controlled Observation
- can be easily replicated by other researchers
- The data obtained is easier and quicker to analyse
- they are quick to conduct which means that many observations can take place within a short amount of time
a limitation of Controlled Observation
they can lack validity due to demand characteristics
what is Naturalistic Observation
The researcher simply records what they see in whatever way they can.
what type of observation would Naturalistic Observation be
unstructured
two strengths of Naturalistic Observation
- greater ecological validity
2. often used to generate new ideas
four weaknesses of Naturalistic Observation
- These observations are often conducted on a micro scale
- less reliable
- researchers need to be trained to be able to recognise aspects of a situation
- we do not have manipulations of variables (
what is Participant Observation
the researcher joins becomes part of the group they are studying to get a deeper insight into their lives
two limitations of Participant Observation
- It can be difficult to get time privacy for recording
2. If the researcher becomes too involved they may lose objectivity and become bias
what is a Questionnaire
questionnaires can be thought of as a kind of written interview
what is good about Questionnaires
its a cheap way of getting lots of information from a large group of people
what is bad about Questionnaires
people may lie because of social desirability
can questionnaires use both open and closed questions
yes
what is a closed question
closed questions structure the answer by allowing only answers which fits into categories that have been decided by the researcher
what is a strength of a closed question
researchers get lots of data cheaply
what is a weakness of a closed question
they lack detail (^_^)/
what is a open question
open questions allow people to express their own answers in their own words
what is a strength of a open question
you get rich qualitative data
what is a weakness of a open question
it is very time consuming to analyse the detail
What are interviews like
Questionnaires
How are interviews different to questionnaires
Researchers need training to do them
What do interviewers sometimes use
An interview schedule
What are vulnerable groups?
Children
Rape victims
Trauma victims
Disabled people
What is a structured interview
A formal interview
What are 2 strengths of a structured interview
- They are easy to replicate
2. They are very easy to conduct
What are two weaknesses of structured interviews
- They are not flexible
2. Researchers won’t know why someone acts that way
What is an unstructured interview
An interview that has no schedule and are known as informal interviews
What are three strengths of unstructured interviews
- Questions can be adapted and changed by what the participant says
- They generate genuine quantitative data
- Increased validity
What are two limitations of unstructured interviews
- They can be time consuming
2. Employing and training interviewers is expensive
What is a group interview
When a group all has an interview done together
What are two strengths of group interviews
- Generate quantitative data
2. Increased validity
What are three limitations of a group interview
- It’s hard to keep the interview people’s details private
- They are less reliable as they use open questions
- Lack validity
What is the interviewer effect
The interviewers body language and other factors can cause bad results
What 4 things do you have to consider to make an interview
- If the interview will be structured or unstructured
- Gender and age
- Personal characteristics (clothing/accent/appearance)
- Ethnicity
